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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28969191">Summer nights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefeatedHorizon/pseuds/DefeatedHorizon'>DefeatedHorizon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cable (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dawn of X, Mentioned Alex Summers, Mentioned Gabriel Summers, Mentioned Jean Grey, Mentioned Rachel Summers, Spoilers for Cable (2020), The Summer house</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:27:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28969191</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefeatedHorizon/pseuds/DefeatedHorizon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Nathan and Logan have a talk about love, adolescence... and living with Scott.<br/>A conversation at night, in the Summer house.</p><p>((Just a scene that wouldn't leave me after reading Cable #7.))</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Logan &amp; Scott Summers, Logan (X-Men)/Scott Summers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Summer nights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Small warning for some of the language here - Logan being Logan.</p><p>Also, I want to thank Ob from the Scogan community server for the discussion that helped me put this into words! :-) </p><p>This story is heavily inspired by the latest issue (#7) of the Cable comics series, but also by what is happening in the DoX universe in general. Also, some references to older comics, including the 2018 Uncanny X-men series. </p><p>So, spoiler alert from here on! </p><p>This takes place a few days after Cable and Rachel came back from the mutant babies rescue mission.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was three in the morning and of course, </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course </span>
  </em>
  <span>the lights were on in the kitchen of the Summer house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan was not surprised. When you lived in a house full of Summers and of Greys and of Grey-Summers, the probability of being the only insomniac in the house was quite shockingly low.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan himself did not sleep much, so he knew this. Lately, he had spent more than a few nights trying to talk Alex out of whatever self-destructive idea he'd been having, or trying not to feel too disturbed about what Gabe's questions revealed about the state of his psyche. When it was Scott -and it often was, these days, silence just settled between them, as naturally as leaves fall from trees come Autumn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan should mind the company, probably would have, before. Back when everything was about chaos and enemies and shifting loyalties, and the only thing that he aspired to was for the world to <em>leave him the fuck alone</em>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But things had changed, now, and for the better, it seemed. Now he lived here - on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Moon</span>
  </em>
  <span> of all places- and he shared the house with a whole family that he considered himself a part of. And, yes, admittedly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span> he was not fully ready to admit it out loud just yet, but he did care about each one of them (</span>
  <em>
    <span>including</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gabriel), and he did not mind playing the uncle or the older brother or the maybe-a-little- more-than-that to them all, whenever the need for it arose. Maybe he even enjoyed it. Maybe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For once though, it was the boy who was up - the one that was Cable, but not really. The one that Logan could not really help but look after and want to protect, like one of the kids from the school, even though reason told him that this was a guy who possessed a whole range of lethal powers, who knew how to aim all sorts of weapons, and had already fought more battles than most soldiers will ever see in their entire life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It did not matter, just like it did not matter that Logan had known this kid as an adult before he had met him as a kid. It was all awfully complicated, sure, but things usually were with the Summers. And none of this really mattered, to Logan, because this Nathan still looked like a teenager, and still was one in many regards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which, amongst other things, meant that the glass that was in his hands somehow felt displaced, because it looked <em>suspiciously</em> like scotch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pretty sure ya don't look the legal age to buy that stuff anywhere in the universe, kid," Logan approached, cautiously. Talking with Nathan was always a little strenuous these days. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>a teenager now, after all, and that came with the full package - hormones and extreme reactions included.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To Logan's relief, his remark only elicited a snort. Both one of the vices- and virtues- of adolescence, Logan guessed. "Don’t worry, it’s only apple juice. I’m not like my uncle," Nathan smirked. He did not need to specify which uncle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, sorry. For a moment there, I thought you’d raided Gabe’s stash or something," muttered Logan. He grabbed a beer in the fridge and sat next to Nathan “Though I’m pretty sure he’s more of a margarita kind of guy. Scotch would be too refined for ‘im.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan seemed to consider this for a second, then just shrugged. “I don’t think he cares, as long as it’s alcohol,” he said, somewhat bitterly. “Anything to help him forget whatever messed-up nightmare he’s been having.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what ya tryna do right now too?” Logan inquired. “With… apple juice?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another shrug. “They’re not nightmares if you know they’re really going to happen.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It suddenly occurred to Logan that Nathan’s left eye seemed to be glowing even brighter than usual. </span>
  <span>“I guess, yeah," he said, nodding. "Still, I feel like I have to tell you it’s time to go to bed.” Logan had no memory of ever being a teenager, but he had been the Headmaster of Xavier Institute long enough to know that teenagers have a tendency to sleep when adults want them to be awake, and vice versa. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan did not reply, losing himself again in whatever dark thoughts he was having. Logan sighed. Rachel had mentioned something earlier - something about the kid hiding something from them - something that was eating at him but that he would not share. And since Nathan was an expert at hiding secrets within his mind, shielding from the most powerful telepaths, it would be hard even for his sister - and even Jeannie - to find out what it was all about. But whatever it was, Logan had a feeling that it was not just your regular teenager’s secret. When Cable - any version of him - kept secrets from his family, it generally meant that something incredibly dark was about to happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any way I can help?” Logan finally asked, after a long pause and a couple of sips of that awful beer that Scott kept filling the fridge with - </span>
  <em>
    <span>reduced sugar beer</span>
  </em>
  <span> or whatever. As if beer was something you could get healthy with anyway. “With… you know, whatever’s got you so… </span>
  <em>
    <span>upset</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kid shook his head, and downed the whole glass without any further comment, like a cowboy in a saloon in one of those old Western movies he used to watch with Chuck, back when they were at the Institute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rach told me you saved a lot of kids the other day,” Logan continued, when Nathan gave no sign of wanting to reply. He sighed. It was not like </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>was a Small Talk Nobel prize winner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Five. But the others are nowhere to be found. That means at least five more babies that could have to grow up without their parents if they're not found. I can’t give up on them. I just-” His voice trailed. Abruptly, he put the glass back on the counter and got up. “I need to go,” he said, looking as determined as a teenager can. Then he swayed a little, and sat back just as quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay, so. An </span>
  <em>
    <span>exhausted </span>
  </em>
  <span>teenager.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When’s the last time you’ve slept?” Logan inquired, trying to conceal his concern behind a smirk - but his worry was growing by the second. The kid was not okay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m good, I’m good.” Nathan nodded to himself, eyes half-closed. “I’m good,” he said again, in a whisper. “I’m just really tired, and when I get like that, I guess.. the virus… it's getting a bit harder to control. That’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s all.” Logan repeated, incredulously. “Your dad knows about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I’ve been enough of a burden lately. I don’t want --” He sighed. “I’ll be fine. I don’t need for him to worry about me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Logan turned his head, and pretended to look at his beer, not at the kid. Of course, he was still watching Nathan from the corner of his eye. “Ya know, I don’t think your dad is in a hurry to see you become a warrior -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“- I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am </span>
  </em>
  <span>a warrior!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Were. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Or will be. But right now, you’re a kid, Nathan. And your ol’ man? He doesn’t want you to grow up too fast. In fact, it’s probably one of his worst nightmares. Trust me on this.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan and Scott were not ones for heart-to-heart conversations over a bottle of red wine, but that did not mean Logan did not know what Scott was thinking. Or feeling. And when it came to Nathan, Scott had a <em>lot</em> of thoughts and feelings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a long, long silence, during which absolutely nothing happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until Logan realized that the kid had tears in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, man, did you really have to be THAT kind of emotional teenager? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Logan could not help thinking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snappy teenager, he could deal with. Lazy teenager, sure. But crying? Now that was Logan’s least favorite manifestation of this species to deal with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet Nathan -once the stoic, heroic, almost-as-fearless-as-his-Daddy </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cable</span>
  </em>
  <span> - was now crying, full-scale, and, to Logan, it was just plain terrifying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan was almost tempted to go get Jean - surely </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> would know what to do. But then again, that would imply waking Jean up in the middle of the night, and thus run the risk of finding himself on the receiving end of a not-so-friendly psionic attack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cleared his throat. “Uh, Nathan? I really think you should go to bed now. Your body needs to rest. Your brain, too. Come on, I’ll help you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan shook his head, sniffling a little. Then he gritted his teeth and landed a punch on the counter with his fist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan grabbed his wrist before he could launch a second attack on the kitchen furniture. “Whoa, whoa - what do you think you’re doing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Teenagers were just so impredictable. </span>
  <span>At least the kid had the good sense to use the metal arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want to stop thinking - </span>
  <em>
    <span>feeling</span>
  </em>
  <span> - right now. Just for a little while,” Nathan said, defeated.  And though he was surprisingly articulate, his voice was raw and he sounded like he was almost begging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, okay." Logan heaved another sigh. “I think most of all, ya need to stop tryin’ to carry the world over your shoulders. You’re only, what - fifteen?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched the kid, and noticed, for the first time that night, just how drained he looked. His face may be that of a fifteen-year-old’s, but according to his eyes, he could have lived thousands of years already. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Logan understood what Rachel had meant when she’d said her brother was not fine. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Jesus</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Whatever happened to you in that house?” he wondered, and though the words had been said aloud, he was not expecting a reply at that point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which was why he was surprised when the reply came anyway, uninformative though it may be. “A ghost,” the kid whispered. The silent tears had not stopped. He wiped them with the back of his hand. “My nightmare.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan winced. He was tempted to ask </span>
  <em>
    <span>which one</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he had a feeling the kid would not be willing to share, anyway. That did not mean he could not </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span>, though. “Anyone I know?” he asked, casually enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the moment was gone, and Nathan pursed his lips, looking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan ran a hand over his face, tiredly. “I think we’ve already talked about that cryptic tough-guy act o’ yours, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Nathan ignored the question. “I thought we could finally be happy. That life with Mom, Dad, Rachel, my uncles...” he said, thoughtfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you are. With everybody here, together, </span>
  <em>
    <span>united... </span>
  </em>
  <span>It just means whatever it is that’s happenin’, we’ll deal with it. The whole of us, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Nathan sighed. “I really hope you’re right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another pause, and the kid gradually seemed to relax. Obviously, he badly needed some distraction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Logan who spoke again. “You know, I’ll feel offended if I find out that you don’t include me in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>uncles</span>
  </em>
  <span> part.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan chuckled softly. “You already know I do, </span>
  <em>
    <span>uncle</span>
  </em>
  <span> Logan,” he replied, with a cheeky smile that, momentarily, made him look like a kid again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I suppose I do. But I don’t walk about carryin’ any of that Summers DNA everyone is so crazy about, so...guess I jus' need the reminder sometimes, is all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan raised an eyebrow, and looked at him with an amused expression. “I’m glad you and Dad finally managed to settle your differences,” he said after a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shadow passed over Logan’s face as he remembered what had gone on in the years before Krakoa. “Me too, kid,” he muttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan nodded thoughtfully. “You really love him, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your dad?” Logan asked, but he did not really need confirmation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan simply smiled, tilting his head, awaiting a reply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan exhaled slowly, and the resulting sound could have passed as either a grunt or a laugh. “I don’t think it’s a mystery that I do, yeah. I’d give my life for him in an instant, and you know it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it was true. He would - and, to some extent, had- follow him to Hell and back. There was no doubt in his mind that he loved Scott, that he had for years. Just like he had no doubt about his love for Jean. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your dad and I have had our… </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad moments</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he’s very important to me. You all are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have a room in our house,” Nathan stated, matter-of-factly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously,” Logan chuckled.</span>
</p><p><span>“Next to his and</span> <span>my mom’s,” the kid dead-panned. </span></p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t think that was a problem?” The topic, Logan found, was far less awkward than one would think it could be, considering. Probably because Logan had absolutely nothing that he wanted to hide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It isn’t,” Nathan assured, and Logan could tell that it was the truth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What exactly Logan’s love was made of, when it came to Scott… that was less clear to Logan himself, even now. He had cared for him for a long time, as a brother in arms first, then as a brother. But there was no denial that something more, something deeper than brotherly love that had developed over the years. It was more than physical attraction, too - though there was no denying that there was something </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span> as well. But it could not be reduced to just that. Not at all. It was… </span>
  <em>
    <span>visceral</span>
  </em>
  <span>, almost. Something that was the result of so many hardships that it had become irreversible, indelible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was simply something that could not be labeled. That did not need to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathan did not seem to be expecting him to, either. “They’re really happy right now, my parents,” he went on. “I think it’s because you’re here. It’s like things are finally… complete now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan let out a soft laugh at that. “Not that it’s a contest, kid, but I’m pretty sure you’re responsible for that in large part too. To your old man, especially. This- it feels like a second chance to him. Several second chances, actually.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He closed his eyes, trying to chase away the painful thoughts that were coming to his mind. Losing Nathan had been so hard on Scott. “That’s why you need to let him be a dad, Nathan. It’s all he’s ever wanted to be. And now, he finally gets a chance. So don’t you go and play the soldier on your own. Let us help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I realize that… It’s just… I think I don’t really know how to be a son,” Nathan admitted. Then he sighed. ”You’re right, though. It’s not a contest. I think we all need to make sure this - </span>
  <em>
    <span>this dream</span>
  </em>
  <span> - doesn’t go sideways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and this starts by you goin’ to bed and havin' a good sleep, kid. You really look like shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” Nathan ran a hand over his face, tiredly. “I’d still beat you in the quarry any day, you know,” he added, straight-faced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just because I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>uncle Logan </span>
  </em>
  <span>now, doesn’t mean I’ll hold back every time, kid. So ya better not push your luck,” Logan retorted, good-naturedly. “Now go get some rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay, fine,” the teenager said, standing up from his chair - slowly, this time. “Good night, </span>
  <em>
    <span>uncle Logan. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘night, kid,” he watched Nathan leave the room, smiling warmly. That kid was something alright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Logan, I don’t think my brothers are willing to put their ‘favorite uncles’ titles on the line just yet,” Scott said as he walked in the kitchen, mere seconds afterwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan, who had felt the other man approach minutes before, simply shrugged. “I don’t think they’ll have a choice. I was able to convince him to go to sleep, and I’m pretty sure that’s something only a favorite uncle could do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he okay?” Scott asked, tensely, as he sat on the chair his son had just vacated. “I’m worried about him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you are. And so is he, about you. You make a great duo of worried Summers, the two of you.” Logan shifted his chair so he could be slightly closer to Scott, who was sitting somewhat rigidly on his. And, gently, he put a hand on his thigh. “Hey, relax. He’s gonna be fine. He’s a really smart kid.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Smart? I’m not so sure, Logan. I saw him punch a wall with his non-metallic arm yesterday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan chuckled at this. “Well, he may be smart, but he’s still a teenager. There’s no helping it. He does learn, though.” He pointed to the small indentation that Nathan made on the counter earlier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t lose him again,” Scott whispered shakily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You won’t, Scott.” His hand moved from Scott’s thigh to his chin, turning the man’s face to him. “You won’t. He’ll make mistakes, sure. We all do. But he has you - he has </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He’ll be fine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scott nodded. “Thank you, Logan. For being here. It makes all the difference.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need to thank me. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to, and you know it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Must you always ruin everything with your snarky retorts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Says the guy who practically invented the genre.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Logan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please never leave."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As long as you keep making that homemade spaghetti sauce and filling the fridge with beer, I don't see why I would.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scott smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe this time, it was for real. Maybe they were really going to be okay.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title "Uncle Logan", and the quarry, refer to what happens in the first issue of Cable (2020).<br/>Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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